diff --git a/lib/db/upgrade.php b/lib/db/upgrade.php
index 9c2d2b5611a..d38e44b8c3d 100644
--- a/lib/db/upgrade.php
+++ b/lib/db/upgrade.php
@@ -1460,7 +1460,7 @@ function xmldb_main_upgrade($oldversion) {
 
     if ($oldversion < 2012111200.01) {
         // Force the rebuild of the cache of every courses, some cached information could contain wrong icon references.
-        rebuild_course_cache();
+        $DB->execute('UPDATE {course} set modinfo = ?, sectioncache = ?', array(null, null));
 
         // Main savepoint reached.
         upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2012111200.01);
@@ -1605,7 +1605,7 @@ function xmldb_main_upgrade($oldversion) {
         $DB->delete_records('course_sections_avail_fields', array('userfield' => 'interests'));
         $DB->delete_records('course_modules_avail_fields', array('userfield' => 'interests'));
         // Clear course cache (will be rebuilt on first visit) in case of changes to these.
-        rebuild_course_cache(0, true);
+        $DB->execute('UPDATE {course} set modinfo = ?, sectioncache = ?', array(null, null));
 
         upgrade_main_savepoint(true, 2012120301.13);
     }
diff --git a/lib/modinfolib.php b/lib/modinfolib.php
index a9f4b241270..625284600fd 100644
--- a/lib/modinfolib.php
+++ b/lib/modinfolib.php
@@ -1360,6 +1360,12 @@ function get_fast_modinfo($courseorid, $userid = 0, $resetonly = false) {
 function rebuild_course_cache($courseid=0, $clearonly=false) {
     global $COURSE, $SITE, $DB, $CFG;
 
+    if (!$clearonly && !empty($CFG->upgraderunning)) {
+        debugging('Function rebuild_course_cache() should not be called from upgrade script unless with argument clearonly.',
+                DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
+        $clearonly = true;
+    }
+
     // Destroy navigation caches
     navigation_cache::destroy_volatile_caches();